


Hello From the Other Side

by Strawberry_Senpai



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, Childhood Friends, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Young Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-14
Updated: 2015-12-14
Packaged: 2018-05-06 14:54:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5421242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strawberry_Senpai/pseuds/Strawberry_Senpai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liam and Niall have grown up together. They promised each other that their friendship won't end after high school ends. Too bad fate fucks up everything in the end. Liam returns home and feelings between Niall and him get complicated.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hello From the Other Side

Niall and Liam have known each other since they were in first grade. Niall, the new Irish kid, ends up sitting next Liam, the line leader, and it took Liam sharing his animal crackers with Niall who forgot his lunch on the first day for them to get to know each other. They ended up becoming great friends despite being in different classes every year. Both of them lived near each other and would take turns going to each other's house to play countless video games, do homework, and eat dinner. Times were much more simpler back then. Liam and Niall became best friends. Liam eventually moved away to a new neighborhood that was half an hour away by the end of their fifth grade year however, Liam promised Niall that they would still see each other on the weekends. 

Things did not turn out as expected. Liam's parents ended up getting a divorce forcing Liam to spend some time with his father all the way in Wolverhampton. Liam didn't want to, but he had to. Whenever he was back home, he ended up spending time with his mother. Niall and him never really spent that much time during the summer. They both made it work through phone calls or short lived visits. However Liam ended up maturing and started to find an interest in girls that summer. Niall spent his time in Ireland visiting his grandparents and relatives. 

In middle school things changed a little bit. Liam started hanging out with the preppy popular teens while Niall ended up being left behind in the geek squad. Niall did not mind it until Liam started dating Danielle. That's when Niall started avoiding Liam wherever he would usually go. Text messages to come hang out were usually ignored by Niall. He decided to end their friendship considering they were in two different circle of friends in a hierarchy school environment. It did not help that Liam was on the soccer team and Niall was starting to find his interest in guitar. Niall would start singing for his church choir and he would end up singing during open jam sessions in the coffee shop he goes to with his older brother Greg. Everything was falling back in place, sure Niall missed Liam, but this was how things were going to be. Eventually Liam ended contacting him towards the beginning of the summer. Niall would ignore his text messages or respond with one word responses hoping that Liam would leave him alone. It was better for Niall to push Liam out rather than experience Liam leaving him. 

It was a random night on Saturday, he was on his front porch tuning his guitar. He was not sure if he was too focused on tuning his guitar when Liam showed up looking completely trashed. 

"You won't answer my text messages or phone calls," Liam slurred with a frown on his face. His face was completely red and he was stumbling a bit. "So I decided to pay you a visit,".

"How did you get here?" Niall asked in concern.

"One of the high school soccer players at the party where I was at decided to give me a ride back, I didn't want to go home so I decided why not here?" Liam explained stumbling a little forward. 

Niall gave Liam a sheepish look and a shrug clearly not wanting to engage in the conversation. He grabbed his guitar and his tuner and proceeded to walk into his house. What he didn't expect was Liam grabbing his arm and pulling him into what was an awkward hug causing him to drop his tuner and guitar. The stench of cigarettes mixed with whiskey flooded Niall's nose causing the blond to wrinkle his nose. When Niall tried to escape Liam ended up hugging him tighter, and Niall could feel what felt like water on his arms. It wasn't water.

It was Liam crying. The most heart wrenching site ever. 

Liam started sobbing uncontrollably as he hugged Niall who felt a pain on his chest. He felt like a horrible person but he truly felt that Liam was better off without him. Eventually Liam ended up stopping and letting go of Niall who look at him with concern. The older boy's eyes were puffy clearly stained with tears and his nose was running.

"Liam," Niall says softly as he places a hand on the older boy's face, caressing it, Liam looked up staring into Niall's blue eyes.

"Why did you stop talking to me?" Liam asked his voice cracking this caused Niall to feel incredibly guilty.

"Because we were just in two different circle of friends. You barely had any time to talk to me. I mean Liam... you had a girlfriend, soccer, classes, and your other group of friends. That is a lot to balance out. So I did you a favor and just cut myself out," Niall confessed trying this time not to cry. He would never tell Liam how the older boy hurt him by not talking to him, how he never stood up for Niall when his popular friends would bully him, and how no matter how hard he tried he would never fit into Liam's life. Times were not as simple as they were back then.

Liam ended up grabbing Niall and embracing him in a tight hug, kissing the side of the teen's head. They remained in silence like this before it was this time for Niall to cry. Niall shook free of Liam's hug and turned to walk back to his house.

"This is a mistake. Liam you are drunk. Go home," Niall said wiping the tears from his eyes.

"I did not mean to hurt you," Liam said as he walked up to Niall.

"I never meant for any of this to happen Niall. It just did. I became friends with the kids in my neighborhood and the next thing I know I am hanging out with the more often. We have soccer in common so we decided to go try out and the next thing we know we end up making it. You're right I barely had time because I never dedicated any time to hanging out with my best friend," Liam began pausing to take a breath before continuing, "I ignored you at school and I ended up ditching you for Danielle and that crowd, but I never meant to do that,".

"You are drunk Liam, go home," Niall said with a wave of his hand, Liam grabs it and places both of his hands on the leprechaun's head forcing the shorter teen to look at him. Niall stared into Liam's chocolate eyes and he could feel his legs giving out at the sight. Liam was truly adorable. 

"I am drunk, but I am not drunk enough to apologize to you and I have been a shitty person this year. I still want to be best friends with you Niall, so if you would take me back?" Liam apologized his eyes pleading for Niall to just take him back as a best friend. 

"Yes, only if we can play fifa," Niall said with a small smile and Liam instantly gave him a kiss on the forehead. 

That summer Liam and Niall ended up working everything out. Liam told Niall that he broke up with Danielle because he was not feeling the relationship and she was too clingy. The popular kids ended up tolerating Niall and all of them stopped bullying them when Liam talked to them individual. Niall and Liam ended up becoming greater friends. 

High school went by as a blur, both Niall and Liam were too focused on studying and participating in extracurricular activities to really spend time with each other. Nevertheless they still made time at least once or twice a week to hang out and just catch up on life. Freshman year passed, Sophomore year passed, Junior year passed, and Senior year passed. Both of them promised to keep in touch when they were away from college however Liam never lived up to that promise. The older boy ended up going to Oxford University and became busy with his research. He made plenty of new friends and dated a few guys and girls discovering his sexuality identity. Niall crossed his mind ever so often that he felt bad to really contact the Irish lad. Originally when they went off to college Niall and him would Facetime, message each other, and communicate however as the semester progressed with the work load Niall was eventually left behind. Liam would forget about their weekly Facetime, messages were a day or two later, and everything that kept them together just faded away. Liam attempted to call Niall on his birthday however Niall ended up changing his phone number and Liam never really bothered to get it. He was too occupied with his studies and current friend group to really keep in contact with a child friend. 

\---

Today Liam ended up going back home for his winter break. He was greeted by his mother who embraced him in a hug before lifting his suit case and dragging it to his older room up stairs. Just how it was when he left it whenever he left... neat and organized. He looked around before noticing a picture of Niall and him when they were barely fourteen years old. If it wasn't Niall's silly face he would cringe at how awkward looking he was. Luckily soccer and the gym helped him get in shape. His mother brought up some tea and they began to engage in a conversation just to catch up. He learned that his father was going to marry another woman and that he would have to be at that wedding next Spring. 

"How's Niall been mum?" Liam slipped the question into the conversation randomly. 

"Honestly, I do not know. The last time I heard his father and older brother ended up passing away... he ended up giving up his scholarship to the University of Cambridge to support his mother who has gone a little insane. I visit him from time to time giving them my home made shepherd pie," Liam's mother replied taking a sip from her tea. 

Liam felt horrible when hearing this information about what had happened to Niall. He did not know that the young man had to deal with all of this. 

"So what does Niall do for a living?" Liam asked.

"Oh! He works at that cozy coffee shop the one where you both would hang out during high school," his mother replied.

He ended up going to the coffee shop and to his surprise Niall was actually working behind the counter. He was wearing the standard uniform of a white button up with the brown apron and brown base ball cap. His blond hair was much shorter and the Niall that he remembered was grown up. He was smiling a bright smile as he handed the woman her receipt. 

A song by the Beatles was playing when Liam walked up to go order his coffee. Niall looked at Liam as if he was a stranger and asked him for his order. 

"A medium sized cappuccino please," Liam replied as he grabbed his wallet to pay for the order. 

"Niall, it's me buddy... Liam?" Liam said cheerfully not sure what to expect from Niall. However Niall ignored what had came out of his mouth and handed him his receipt them eventually his order. 

Liam texted Niall that night to hang out with him and to catch up. No reply. Eventually Liam came back to the coffee shop on a mission to get Niall to talk to him. Despite the long line during rush hour he waited and when he got to Niall, the Irishman decided to switch shifts with his co-worker Andy. Andy ended up giving Liam the wrong order. Liam talked to his mother that night and his mother was surprised at Niall ignoring Liam. 

Eventually Liam ended up going to Niall's home to deliver his mother's home cooked shepherd pie. Niall almost slammed the door in his face when his hand stopped it. 

"What do you want?" Niall asked tiredly clearly no amused by Liam's perky attitude.

"Just wanted to check up on you mate. Considering you clearly didn't want to talk to me when you were at work," Liam said trying not to sound annoyed he added in, "My mother's shepherd pie," taking a whiff of it. 

"Sorry, I was focused on my job," Niall lied before opening the door and letting Liam in. Niall's house looked almost bare... there were only a few family portraits on the walls and what was once colorful and cheerful was now dull. Niall motioned Liam into the kitchen before preparing some tea. Liam sat on the chair looking around in concern. 

"So how's your mum been?" Liam asked cautiously. 

"She could be better but she's getting there," Niall responded taking a seat. He takes two plates, two forks, and a knife. he quickly divides the pie and then slips a piece onto the plate for Liam and him. He hands Liam the plate. 

"I'm sorry Niall-" Liam began to apologize but he was stopped with Niall slamming the plate down on the table shaking his head. 

"Look, Liam. If you are here to do that thing you did in middle school in hopes of us becoming best friends... I don't think it will work," Niall said bluntly as he takes a bite of the pie. He looks clearly distraught and Liam could tell Niall is trying so hard not to cry by how hard the blond hair man is trembling. 

"Niall-" Liam started again only to be stopped by Niall. 

"You don't get to do this. You don't get to come back in here and tell me how 'sorry' you are. Not when you're going to get up and leave again when you're going back to school," Niall said this time shedding a few tears. 

They remained in silence before Liam went over to hug Niall who surprisingly let him. Niall ended up breaking down and crying on Liam's shoulder, Liam pulling him closer and tigher into the hug. Liam let Niall go on about how much he missed the older man and Liam's heart broke in the process. 

"Niall I am sorry," Liam manages to muster up the courage to apologize, "I should have been there. I should of kept my promise, but I did not. I ended up letting you down because I was too caught up in my life. I forgot about my best friend who needed me and I was not there,". Niall eventually cried himself to sleep in Liam's hug and Liam placed him on the couch cuddling close to the man not letting him go. 

Niall woke up a few hours later and Liam smiled at him. 

"You have to go," Niall ordered sounding tired. 

"What?" Liam asked confused. 

"Just go Liam. I know you'll leave this place again and it's better that you do it now so I can get over you," Niall pleaded. 

Liam got annoyed and shook his head responding with a firm, "no,". 

"Just go," Niall said defeatedly.

Liam went over to Niall and forced the younger man to look at him with his hand. 

"I love you," Liam confessed staring at the younger man softly. Niall shook his head in denial and continued to utter for Liam to leave him alone but Liam didn't. Liam continued to repeat what he said. 

"I love you Niall... don't you understand? You are home to me. No matter what happens, I will always come home to you at the end of the day. I always come back to you and you know it. So please don't push me away anymore," Liam pleaded. 

And this time Niall gave in and they both kissed. 

 


End file.
